Mothproof receptacle



L. K. LOFTIN MOTHPROOF RECEPTACLE I Filed Aug. 1. 1930 Oct. 4, 1932.

Zia wanker Patented Oct. 4, 1932 i .NITED STATES.

LAWRENCE K. LOFTIN, OF ALTAVISTA, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR T INC., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA PATENT THE LANE COMPANY,

ivromnraoornnonrrieom Application filed August 1, 19 30. Seria1 No.472,441.

' While I have, for the purpose of illustrating my invention, selected what is known to the trade as a cedar chest, it is, of course, obvious that my invention may with equal efliciencybe embodied in wardrobes, chifforobes, closets, household furniture, and other receptacles designed for the destroying of the clothes moth larvae found in clothing, furs and similararticles stored in such receptacles.

.From experiments, conducted over quite a long period, the object of which was to produce a cedar chest that would destroy the clothes moth larvae, I discovered the fact that aroma thrown off by the aromatic cedarwood oil, found in aromatic cedar was eifective killing moth larvae of any age if the proper concentration could be. developed, and I have also foundthat the two fundamentals in securing proper concentration of aroma are to get enough cedarwood oil into the chest which I am accomplishing by introducing enough cedar lumber to supply this oil, andby making the chest suificiently aroma tight. By

preventing this leakage and putting enough oil in the chest I could get enough concentration to kill moth larvae of any age and that all of this prevents the necessity of having to have clothes cleaned. to get them free of moth eggs and larvae, or beaten, or brushed, or sunned, all of which methods have been recommended by various authorities to free fabrics of moth infestation. Theold type of cedar chest which was not aroma tight, accordingto United States Government'recommenclations,would kill newly hatched moth worms up to half grown. (three months old) but if a person would place any fabrics into a chest that had more than half grown moth worms on them, they were so hard to kill that the cedar aroma concentration in the chest was not strong enoughto kill them, but this I have been able to accomplish with my new aroma tight chest. The problem which I desired to work out was to destroy the moth larvae present in such articles, or hatching from eggs, that might have haddeposited on. them when they were storedaway, as it has been difficult and expensive, and, in fact, impractical, to so clean every article stored as to insure the non-existence of moth larvae or moth eggs when. the article'was" stored away. t

. Experiments demonstrate the factthat the aroma of. the cedar oil, which is in fact cedar oil in a highly gaseous or vapor state, suspended in the air, is extremely penetrating and that, if the article infested with moth larvae couldrbe maintained in a receptacle for a suflicient length of time where the cedar I would be supplied over a long period ,of years i to make the receptacle continuously effective.

It would-be found by experiment that cedar aroma, that is cedar oil molecules in suspension in air, is approximately seven times as heavy as air. Consequently, it is more dense at. the bottom of the receptacle and, of course, when the receptacle is closed the giving ofli' of the cedar oil molecules creates in the receptacle a vapor or gaseous-pressure which, al-

though slight as pressures are: ordinarily measured, is quite suflicient to cause the'cedar aroma to escape from the receptacle through any hole, crevice or crack. And, while it will escape morerapiolly from a hole at the bottom of the chest, as the density is greater at the bottom, this pressure created as heretofore explained, will cause it at certain stages to escape regardless of the location of the r leak.; Leakage or escape of the aroma from I the chest is also caused by the variation in temperature in the room outside as compared to the air within the chest. I V ascertained the approximateamount of cedar oil in the average red cedar board by dry weight and constructed the chest with the properamount of red cedar for each cubic inch of storage space. This will give a sufficient quantity of cedar oil to producearoma of suflicient density to be effective in destroying moths, providedthedensity of the aroma could be maintained, leakage prevented and the escape of the cedar oil in the form of aroma could be largely confined to the inside of the chest so that it might not be wasted by escape outside into the room.

I also found that this percentage. of red gcedarto .the cubic content of a receptacle would not only supply an aroma of sufficient density to destroy moths, but that it would continuelto supplyitover a longperiodof years, provided as above, that leakageand waste were prevented.

have proven that the moth killing elficiency of a cedar chest is proportionate to the amount to such an extent that itis frequently difficult to closethe closure, therefore, I provide the receptacle witha valve having an exit'and intake ports which are normally closed, but are operated by the movement of the closure. In the drawing: r

Figure 1 is a transverselongitudinal view of a drawer-and its casing embodyingmyinvention. r V

Figure 2-is a front elevationof a drawer and its casing parts being broken away and 'in section. b i V Figure 3. is an enlarged detail view. v Figure-4 is an enlarged detail-view. The 'referencemumeral 1 designates-a rece'ptacle, which, merely for the purposes of illustrating my invention, consists of .a

, drawer casing, the open end of which-has secured to its inner faces-a'U-shaped or channeled female sealing strip or element 2 one of the sides 2a of which is longer'thanthe other and provided with a-lateral flangeQb which is suitably secured inthe recess 3, the chan nel of. said element opening toward the-front ofthe receptacle or casing 1. The short side 20 of this channeled stripis flangeless and of materially less length than its flanged long side. This sealing strip 2 may be -made of anysuitable and durable metal, preferably flexible. 1 x

' Thedrawer (closure) 451138 a recess 5in the side,-.top and bottom faces of its front wall in. which is secured the flange 7b of the U- shaped or channeled male sealing strip or element 6 which has sides 7 and 7a of equal length, the side 7 being flangeless and the flange :76 being formed on the side 7a, the said channeled strip projecting inwardly toward the rear of the, closure. .If desired-a packing 80f anysuitable material may be secured to the edge of the short side 20 of the My experiments conducted over'many years female sealing member which, when the male and female elements are in engaged position, is compressed between them and against the seat formed by the flange 7 b of the strip 6.

The metal packing strips have tongues 7 a which telescope with .anadjacent strip, as clearly shown in Figure 3, and if desired the abutting strips may be soldered. By this construction I am enabled to eliminate all ljointsbetween'the meetingends of the strip through which the cedar oil aroma may escape. It is absolutely essential that all avenues of escape for the aroma must be closed.

As shown in Figure 4, I may also use packing 8a in'the joint. The packings 8 and 8a are composed of materialthat will not deteriorate under the action of the aroma of cedar oiland consequently will not become gummy, alsothismaterial is one that will'not be attacked by moths, therefore, the packing' will remain eflicient for .the purposes .for which it is intended. From experiments I have found that by my invention I am enabled to prevent the escape ofthe aroma of cedar oil and thus provide an eflicient moth proof container and maintain the density of the aroma to such a degree in the container that any moth eggs and larvae thatmay be placed in the container will be destroyed by suchdensity of aroma, there fore, one need not brush, or clean, the clothing to free it from moth eggsand larvae before placing'it'in the container.

I Fromexperiments I have found that by my invention I am enabled-to preventthe escape of the aroma or cedar oil from storagerecep= tacles.

1 What I- claim is:

1. In a container of the character described, the combinationwith a casing, anda closurefor said casing, ofa channeled female sealing member onthe casing having a short side anda long side, the long side of said member being provided witha flange secured to the casing, a coacting channeled male sealing member on the closure adaptedto partially extend into said female member in the closed condition of the closure and having its side facing the short side of the female member provided with a flange secured to the closure, a packing disposed within the female member, and. a packing carried by the'short sideof the female member and adapted to seat against the flange of the male member.

.2. In a containerof thecharacter described, the combination with a casing, and a closure for saidcasing, of a channeled female sea-1'- ing member carriedby the casing, said member having a long side and a short side,the saidlong side being provided with a right angularlybent flange secured in a groove in the casing, a channeled male sealing member for coaction with said female member having sides of equal length, one of said sides-being adapted to fit tightly against the flanged side of the female member When the closure is in closed condition and the other side of the male member being provided with a right angularly disposed flange secured in a groove in the closure and lying in spaced relation to the short flange of the female member in the closed condition of the closure, a packing in the female member to seal the joint between the same and the male member, and a packing carried by the short side of the female member to engage the adjacent flanged side of themale member and the said flange thereof to seal the joint therebetween.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LAWRENCE K. LOFTIN. 

